Journal
Pre Production
5 min read
How We Scout Locations Before We Ever Pick Up a Camera
A walkthrough of our scouting checklist, from sun paths and power to the neighbor who owns a very loud leaf blower.
Noor Haddad
Executive Producer
A location can make a film look expensive or quietly sink the whole day. We scout every space in person, at the time of day we plan to shoot, with the same questions every time.
Follow the sun
We map where the light will be at each hour and plan setups around it. A room that glows at nine can feel flat by noon.
Listen before you look
Traffic, air conditioning, church bells and neighbors with leaf blowers have ended more takes than any lighting problem. We record a minute of room tone on every scout.
Logistics are creative decisions
Parking, power and a place for the crew to eat decide how much time you actually spend filming. A slightly less beautiful location with easy access often gives you the better film.
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